Games of chance have been a part of our collective experience for a long time, even though a lot of people don’t consider them to be that old – the joke is on them, as these games have been with us since 3000 BC. From the times of Ancient China to the present day, many things have changed about the games of chance, but the fascination with them has stayed the same. People not only want to know about the best Aviator betting sites, or who the best bookmaker is, they also want to play these games, and they do, every day. So, it’s no surprise that games of chance appeared in RPGs too. After all, why wouldn’t they, given their presence in the real world?
When it comes to games of chance in RPGs, we can say that they are adding layers of excitement, risk, and social interaction beyond the core gameplay. Two standout examples are The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR2), both of which feature iconic gambling mini-games that have become beloved by players. This article explores the games of chance in these RPGs—Gwent in The Witcher 3, and Poker and Blackjack in RDR2—explaining what they are like and how to play them.
Gwent: The Witcher 3’s Strategic Card Game
Gwent is a unique card game embedded within The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and it has grown so popular that it spun off into its own standalone game. Unlike traditional casino games, Gwent is a strategic, turn-based card game that blends luck with deep tactical choices.
Players build decks from various factions, each with distinct cards and abilities. The game board is divided into three rows—Close Combat, Ranged, and Siege—where players place unit cards with different power values. The goal is to win two out of three rounds by having a higher total power on the board than your opponent.
Each round, players take turns playing one card at a time, carefully deciding when to deploy powerful cards or pass to conserve resources for later rounds. Special cards can change the flow of the game by affecting the weather or boosting units. The strategic element lies in managing your cards across rounds, balancing risk and reward to outwit your opponent.
Gwent’s appeal comes from its blend of luck in card draws and skill in deck-building and tactical play, making it a rich mini-game within the RPG world that rewards both careful planning and adaptability.
Poker in Red Dead Redemption 2
RDR2 offers a faithful digital recreation of Texas Hold ’Em Poker, a game of both chance and skill. Players are dealt two private cards and use five community cards to form the best possible five-card hand. The game features multiple betting rounds where players can bet, call, raise, or fold, trying to outsmart opponents and win the pot.
The ranking of poker hands—from high card to royal flush—is essential knowledge for players. While the game’s AI opponents can be unpredictable, winning often comes down to patience, knowing when to bet big with strong hands, and sometimes bluffing to force others to fold.
Poker in RDR2 is available in multiple locations such as Valentine and Blackwater, offering an immersive Wild West experience. The game captures the tension and excitement of real poker, blending luck with psychological strategy.
Blackjack in Red Dead Redemption 2
Blackjack is a timeless gambling game featured in RDR2, where the objective is to get a hand value as close to 21 as possible without going over. Unlike other card games, players face off against the dealer rather than competing with other players.
At the start, you are dealt two cards and can decide to “hit” (draw an additional card) or “stand” (keep your current hand). Face cards are worth 10 points, while aces can count as either 1 or 11, depending on what benefits your hand most. If your total exceeds 21, you bust and lose the round. Victory is achieved if your hand beats the dealer’s or if the dealer busts.
RDR2’s version of blackjack is highly regarded for its accurate representation of real-life rules, including features like insurance bets when the dealer’s upcard is an ace. Success in blackjack relies on a mix of luck and smart choices about when to hit or stand, making it a fast-paced and captivating mini-game.
Conclusion
Games of chance in RPGs like The Witcher 3 and Red Dead Redemption 2 enrich the gaming experience by introducing elements of risk, strategy, and social interaction. Gwent offers a complex card battle system blending luck and tactics, while Poker and Blackjack in RDR2 faithfully recreate classic gambling games that test both skill and fortune. These mini-games provide players with entertaining diversions and memorable moments, showcasing how chance-based gameplay can complement and deepen RPG worlds.
Emma